life after ccnp

ccnp natural progression

I was wondering what people do after ccnp. I still need 3 tests, but what do most people do after ccnp. I know that ultimately it is the ccie, but what about ccip and ccdp? Does it matter much in the job market if you have ccnp+ccip (or ccnp+ccdp) vs just ccnp? Does ccip or ccdp prepares you more for the ccie?

Please throw in your .02$
TIA

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keenon

I think it all helps providing different ways of doing things

Netwurk

CCIE requires a lot of time and effort (not to mention travel to do the required labs), so I guess the first thing would be to ask yourself whether or not you want to go for the CCIE.

If you don't, then you need a game plan to keep your CCNP current.

I think you need to pass a professional level exam at least once every three years.

lildeezul

it all depends on what you want to do, or what your job status is.. Ask yourself some questions. would you like to do voice, securty, design, ISP work ???

as for me, i am going to do the CCIP after the NP, becuase i want to work in a Service provider environment, but i reallly reallly really really love security, so the CCSP is after my CCIP

6stitches

I am not sure what I want to do, I think I would like to do pre-sales, pre-sale design. The other idea is just to go back and do unix/linux again and just have a ccnp to pad my resume. I guess ccdp would be better for presale, or security because it's a hot topic.

I did security for 2 years mostly at layer2 and wireless stuff, which spark some interest with ccnp. But most of my work experience is with unix. I realised that unix/linux sorta sucks because it changes all the time and there are so many flavors and software, sick and tired of it. Nothing in linux is really structured like networking, everyone do their own thing and then I have to support it. it blows.

I don't think I can do ccie, because I have no real experience in L3 networking, just with the lab I have at home. So I am looking more towards ccdp or something else.

Turgon

6stitches wrote:

ccnp natural progression

I was wondering what people do after ccnp. I still need 3 tests, but what do most people do after ccnp. I know that ultimately it is the ccie, but what about ccip and ccdp? Does it matter much in the job market if you have ccnp+ccip (or ccnp+ccdp) vs just ccnp? Does ccip or ccdp prepares you more for the ccie?

Please throw in your .02$
TIA

You have some good server background there, particularly with unix. With the CCNP I would try and harden it for a couple of year with a proper network role if you can find one. That shouldn't be too difficult as your unix background is a better lever into pure networking than MS in my opinion.

Paul Boz

I finished the CCNP and got a job doing something completely unrelated to routing and switching

I think it just depends on your endgame. My goal is the CCIE RS. I felt that the CCIP would facilitate that because of the shared information between the CCIP and the CCIE RS. It never hurts to have more professional-level Cisco certifications, either.

I would say that CCDP wouldn't help the CCIE cause very much, as that information is much more abstract and difficult to apply to the CCIE.

As I said though, it depends on what you want to do.

jezg76

I think I'm actually going to take a step back. I decided I'm going to hold off on doing the CCIP for a bit and do the CCNA:Security. Looking at the objectives, it appears to be a lighter version of the ISCW so it will be nice to do more of a review for a cert instead of diving face first into new concepts.

Not to mention, it may free up a bit more time to avoid the frying pan from the wife, which I almost received while navigating the CCNP...

gorebrush

I want to go: -

CCNP -> CCVP -> CCIE: R&S -> CCIE: Voice

Might do CCIP somewhere too, but that's the main that I want to achieve (for now, at least)

Slowhand

My plan for post-CCNP life, (after a quick trip through Microsoft-land,) is to go for CCIP, then see what I want to do. I may pursue the CCIE R&S, or I may just do the written exam in order to keep myself certified and be able to renew everything in one fell swoop. I figure, the written exam is also handy to have done in case I want to have some leverage for making a would-be employer pay for my lab exam and training. Either way, I'm doing some schooling as well, so it'll probably be quite a while before I finish CCNP, let alone think about what happens afterwards.

tmlerdal

My life after CCNP included taking a small break from the books. After hitting them pretty non-stop for so long, as well as dealing with the problems at work in the middle of all of it, was nice to have some breathing room.

I did jump to the CCIP after the break. Mainly for the QoS and BGP material. They both made the CCIE blueprints, so figured if I had to study them for the IE eventually, why not go through the CCIP as a foundation for the CCIE learning.

I'm in the middle of another break, but this time because of other things going on that I just can't dedicate the time to any other certs. Toying with taking a little break from Cisco and go through either the CEH or more security related tracks.

redwarrior

My plan (this week!

) :

CCNP - CCNA-Wireless - CCDA - CCDP - CCNA-Voice - CCIE R&S

I figure that ougtta be pretty well-rounded.

APA

CCIP is next up for me

Seeing as I now work in the SP environment........ which leads into the first main goals of CCIE:R&S & CCIE:SP

Not asking to much of myself I hope....

gorebrush

Don't laugh at someone with dreams... someone who doesn't have dreams doesn't have a lot...

6stitches

Hmm.. IP does follow the blueprint, maybe I will be doing that after the ccnp. I passed switching and will write the bsci in a week. I hope the last 2 exams are not as bad. I feel alot better about bsci now, but in the beginning, it was information overload.

APA

all I can say is don't under estimate any of the exams mate.....

I found BCMSN to be one of the easier exams of the CCNP track even though it had quite alot of topics

GT-Rob

It all depends where you want to go. I mean, you can make a great career with just the 'NP (obviously with some experience). I would say it depends on what you or your employers wants from you.

gorebrush

GT-Rob wrote:

It all depends where you want to go. I mean, you can make a great career with just the 'NP (obviously with some experience). I would say it depends on what you or your employers wants from you.

What employers want is neither here nor there... I want it all for me

lildeezul

What employers want is neither here nor there... I want it all for me

i second that

CCIEWANNABE

my next goal is CCNA:Security, i test in two weeks. after that i think i'm going to plunge into the CCIE R&S

i will be able to dedicate about 30 hours per week to study, so i should be able to get pretty far into the CCIE next year. i plan on building a lab with two pc's running 5 virtual routers on each, each router with its own NIC. then i will buy about 3-4 3550's and connect them to my virtual lab. total cost savings compared to actual ccie lab = about 10-11 grand. i figure it will cost about 2-3 grand on a good lab setup using gns3 and some 3550's.

good luck to those who go for ccie in 2009!

networker050184

I'm headed for the CCIP next. I think it will help a lot with the ultimate goal of the CCIE. While studying the BGP, QoS and MPLS I might as well get another cert along the way.

miller811

My current plans are to complete the CCDA and then CCDP. I figured that would be the most bang for the buck, since it requires only 2 exams to complete another professional level certification. While studying for the CCDA, I am having trouble staying focused, so I have started the CCNA security to break up the theory of CCDA. So far CCDA seems to be a good review from CCNP, and CCNA security seems to be a good review from ISCW.

lildeezul

i think this is what ill do..

after ISCW,, ill do the CCNA sec, since there is a big overlap, then after CCNA sec, hit up ONT And QOS exam at the same time and date, and then all i have is the BGP exam and MPLS... so that three certs....but i really want that CCIP.. after that its the CCSP.

ConstantlyLearning

lildeezul wrote:

i think this is what ill do..

after ISCW,, ill do the CCNA sec, since there is a big overlap, then after CCNA sec, hit up ONT And QOS exam at the same time and date, and then all i have is the BGP exam and MPLS... so that three certs....but i really want that CCIP.. after that its the CCSP.

Same as myself.

BSCI -> BCMSN -> ISCW -> CCNA Security -> ONT -> QOS -> BGP -> MPLS -> 'CCSP'

gorebrush

BSCI -> BCMSN -> ISCW -> ONT -> QOS -> CCNA: Voice -> CVOICE -> CIPT -> TUC -> GWGK.

That'll start it

shednik

Once I knock out the CEH, I'm heading back into CCNP land. Well atleast those are my plans subject to change without notice or reason.

bighornsheep

For me, after CCNP, I'm going to go focus on the CCIE R/S as my end goal; I would rather use the momentum from CCNP until at least I finish the CCIE written and then take a "break" while I practice for the lab.

If you aim for nothing, you'll hit it with amazing accuracy!

cisco_trooper

bighornsheep wrote:

If you aim for nothing, you'll hit it with amazing accuracy!

Inc

I will go for CCIP next because:

1. BGP skills come in handy in daily life and also are essential for CCIE RS preparation
2. MPLS also is interesting and since we have it running in core (I work for SP) a bonus to know

And also because these are the only two exams left to do

Although there is one other exam I am looking forward to - CCENT (I'm thinking 22 dec)
It will make a nice christmas present